Diplom Kauffrau

Vanessa Schröder

To get a first impression of how and in which form or role I can support your projects, I wrote down some characteristics of myself. For further questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Reports, personal profiles and references are available upon request.

I am a specialized generalist

One of my former bosses considered me to be what can best be described as his “secret project weapon”, because often in projects I fulfill up to three distinct roles. As a Project Manager I choose my own teams for example and define together with them the targets, define and evaluate the strategy and drive the relevant actions.   

At the same time I make sure that in the role of Account Manager I secure follow-up projects. I have worked with businesses in different sectors including services (consultancy, international trade, IT), the maritime industry, food, aviation, oil & gas, transport and logistics. My specialization has in any case always been in Sales & Marketing strategy, Business Development or Business Process Management.

Experience in a managerial capacity as well as Managing Director

All in all I have more than nine years experience in supervising employees and having a budget and financial responsibility. From 2009-2013 I led the Dutch foreign trade agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in Hamburg (NBSO Hamburg) with full responsibility as Managing Director.   

Furthermore, from 2007-2009 I was a Sales Manager at CGI Deutschland GmbH (formerly Logica Deutschland GmbH) and from 2005-2007 I was a Sales & Marketing Manager at passport Business Engineering.   

In these roles I was mostly working in the field of Business Development and/or Marketing Strategy such as acquisition of new customers, expansion of existing customers and networks as well as developing new service products.

A fresh wind thanks to experience in different industries

I was lucky to have had supervisors, who trusted me right from the start of a business relationship so that I was able to start running the show and to have my own visions and ideas. They gave me a lot of responsibility and even placed me in leading roles outside familiair industries and I can tell you this was exactly right!   

If I read the job offers today I wonder why some companies limit interesting candidates by asking for longtime experience in exclusively one industry. They often hire consultants with experience in completely different industries to get a fresh wind into the companies, but refuse to take on applicants outside the industry.

I am used to working on international management levels as well as in government environments

I already looked for international projects during my studies at the Leuphana University Lüneburg, where I graduated as Business Economist with the focus on Marketing and Technology Management. I found them at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (U.N.) in Hamburg.   

The course-related job, for which I had to work in three languages opened doors to other cultural impressions and different mind-sets. Furthermore I supported and advised management boards (e.g. Unilever, Evonik Industries, Deutsche Bahn Projektbau).

Due to these projects I am used to these levels and command structures. In addition to this I was, as mentioned before, Chief Representative (Managing Director) at the NBSO, responsible for Northern Germany. This to a four year period limited position gave me further insights into the Dutch and German government apparatus (Ministries, Embassies, Consulates General, Honorary Consulates and the Dutch Royal Family).

  In June 2013 I had the honour of accompanying the Dutch Royal Couple during a working visit to Hessia and Baden-Württemberg. During this visit I was responsible for a delegation from the Dutch aviation industry.

I am a passionate networker

I bring you an additional benefit. I am a passionate networker. This passion has opened many doors during projects. In the past few years I built up an immense business network consisting of diplomatic, ministerial, industrial and bilateral contacts.

  Through efficient give and take I benefit from insider information and high-level contacts in different industries, levels, professional groups and circles of friends. Thanks to this I have long term business relationships with former supervisors and colleagues.   

Warning: before you realize it, I have already matched you with promising business contacts!

My corporate and target oriented mind-set are appreciated

In particular my supervisors appreciated my corporate and target oriented way of thinking. This mind-set can be explained by looking at my family’s ‘trade genes’: I inherited the self-employed mind-set of my German family and the typical trade genes from my Dutch family.   

The German part of my family is third generation self-employed. My grandmother was self-employed until the age of 84.

It´s rumored that I have a much empathy and strong intuition

This talent helps me during my projects to quickly assess my teams’ personalilties as well as commercial talents, which makes it easier for me to communicate taylor-made to guarantee trouble-free communication.   

Thanks to this I am able to lead my teams in a highly motivated way towards the target. Furthermore, I am highly interested in my counterpart and try to get as much information as possible about this person. This helps me to put myself into his position and to understand his way of thinking, which makes it easier for me to pick him up mentally.

I am able to set people alight with my enthusiasm

My professor and one of my supervisors have said independently from each other: “Ms Kallies, you have the gift to set people enthusiastically alight and believe me, only the person who really burns is able to ignite others!” For me it is natural. It is an authentically character trait coming from inside to be interested and enthusiast about things.   

This natural enthusiasm makes it possible for me to also set others alight. Especially when I give presentations or communicate results and awarenesses.

My diplomacy often solves conflicts

In conflict situations e.g. within project teams my diplomatic and my appreciative, but consistent way of communication has supported me. I approach the conflict in a factual manner and reduce the emotions by giving merely thought-provoking impulses without judging or condemning. This offers the teams the possibility to return to and concentrate quickly on the task at hand.   

Here I place a high value on humanity and the individual communication for the person concerned. A certain type of humor and charme support me to achieve my targets.